"When can I be outta here?" Buffy asked the doctor anxiously. He smiled, clucked his tongue and examined once more the deep wound in her side.

"I'd say in about a week, Ms. Summers," he informed her, taping a fresh bandage to the flesh around her abdominals, and noticing her wince. She sighed with frustration.

"But…my Mom needs help…and I gotta look after my sister."

"You have a major stab wound," he said, exasperated. "I think it's all right for you to take a week off."

"He's right," Angel pushed away from the window frame where he been leaning during the exchange. "You need rest Buffy. Everyone else can take care of patrol, Dawn's fine at Giles' and your mother's still in the hospital as well."

"A sane person!" the doctor smiled, making a note on his pad and exiting the room. Buffy stuck out her tongue as he left, turning to look at her vampire ex-lover and saw him grinning at her.

"What?" she groused. "I'm allowed to be grouchy. My side still really hurts."

"I'll bet it does," he sympathized and sat down on the edge of the bed, playing absently with the coverlet. She shrugged and her eyes lit with memory.

"It doesn't hurt as much as getting stabbed in the belly did-"

His head shot up and he gazed at her. "When did you get…?"

She shrugged again, and felt the wound pull. Flinching, she said, "It was a few weeks ago. I was out on patrol. Stupid vampire…with really bad clothes. He was a throwback from the eighties or something. Anyway, he stabbed me with my own stake. I couldn't even run."

Angel's face was paler than usual, and he closed his eyes for a moment. "What happened?"

"Oh…well Riley came long. Combat medical training you know. Big plus when you've caught the pointy end of the stake. He took care of the vamp and bandaged me up."

"Real solider," Angel remarked, keeping his voice carefully blank. She thought for a moment.

"Yeah…he was great that way." She hesitated, and massaged her aching flesh with a tender hand. "He was great in a lot of ways. But…he never would have been what I needed. He knew that before I did," she laughed half-heartedly. "Figures, huh? Everyone else always knows what's best for me before I do."

"Well…it takes an unbiased observer," Angel commented. "To know what's best."

"And you think you were unbiased?" her eyebrows shot up, and she regarded him with incredulity.

He smiled. "No, I didn't. But maybe…I could think more clearly about it than you."

"Yeah, cause I'm such a swoony little schoolgirl," she replied acidly and he sighed.

"No, Buffy, you know I don't think that way."

She looked down. "No, I know. Sorry I'm just being bitchy Buffy…mad that I didn't get to leave the prison some like to call a hospital…and…oh my god.."

Angel around as her shocked eyes widened at something behind him. As he turned he saw Drusilla framed in the doorway, the white folds of her dress faintly yellow in the fluorescent light, her face gleaming pale…her eyes hypnotic. "Angelus…" she crooned, and glided forward, caressing her Sire around his collar.

He cringed and stepped back. "You won't get Buffy," he warned her.

"Relax mate," a cheery British accent sounded, as Spike strolled through the door and clapped Angel on the shoulder. "Just passing through. Got bloody well lost in here…well Slayer," he looked Buffy up and down and his eyes glinted. "Caught yourself a stake honey?"

Angel growled warningly, but then looked behind him and saw that Buffy was actually grinning. Just ever so slightly. "A knife actually. And wouldn't you have liked to be the one wielding it?" she teased him, and he barked with laughter.

"It's been fun, luv. Can't say it hasn't been…" Spike murmured insinuatingly and then pulled Drusilla off Angel. She had been pawing him around the neck, forced to get closer as he stepped farther and father away from her.

"C'mon pet," his lips curled. "No need to go where you're not wanted."

Drusilla pouted and her eyes widened. "My little bird doesn't want me?"

"Oh please," Buffy muttered sarcastically. Spike let go of Drusilla for a moment and approached the bed under Angel's watchful stare.

"I'm taking Dru like you wanted," he informed her and she nodded. "I didn't hear the magic word…"

"Thanks," she choked out and he laughed, his voice becoming husky.

"Bye, Buffy," he said, and their eyes met. Hers softened ever so slightly. She could guess at his feelings for her. And although she didn't return them, she had to admit there was a certain strange affection within her for this bleached blonde vampire.

"Good riddance Spike," she said lightly and he took her hand for one brief moment, looking up to see Angel staring at them with cold eyes. Teasing his Grandsire, he bent his head and pressed a kiss to the Slayer's fingers.

She snatched her hand away, squealing, "EW! Spike lips! I'll never eat with this hand again!"

"Sure you won't honey," he growled quietly, and then turned to look at her once more. "I'll be back…and there'll be trouble," he promised and she swatted him with her fist.

"I never doubted it."

"C'mon pet," he grabbed his sire with strong arms, tearing her away from a flinching Angel, and the two left the room. It was strangely silent without them. Buffy pressed a hand to her forehead.

"What a couple," she observed, smiling slightly. "Why didn't I ever stake them?"

~~~
The day wore on, and Buffy slept, ate and watched TV. Angel had gone back to the mansion via the sewer systems to sleep, but he had said he would be back that evening. And she knew why. He was leaving, and he was coming to say Goodbye. The rational part of her knew it was inevitable. He had a life there, a virtual family. That she wasn't a part of.

But the other part of her…her heart…it screamed at the thought of being left alone once more. She didn't know how lonely the nights would be now. Before she had had Riley…to fill her, talk to her, laugh with her. But now…there was no one, and Buffy was certain she wouldn't be able to be with anyone again for a long time.

It was late evening when he walked through the door, bringing the scent of the night, the musky, cool smell of danger, sex…of…everything that was not rational. She was drunk on that scent. It was her addiction.

"Feeling better?" he asked, sitting down beside the bed and taking her hand in his. She glanced down at her tanned fingers entwined with his pale, and felt almost sick.

"Better than ever," she lied and cut to the chase. "You're going back to LA tonight aren't you?"

Angel closed his dark eyes and sighed, his mouth a pained slash as he muttered. "Yes."

She pulled her fingers from his and leaned back. "Well, be on your way then. I can't handle long drawn out goodbye thingies."

"You know I have to go Buffy. My fight is there now. It never was here. Sunnydale is your town. LA is mine now. And there's so many more people I have to help."

"I know," she breathed, and sat up again, facing him and staring deep into his eyes, drowning in his gaze. "And that's why I feel bad…you know, for being selfish. Because you do help people. I'm sorry…for all the things I've said to you. I have set out to hurt you before…and that's just me, lashing out. I'm sorry," she repeated and he laughed softly, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Oh love…you have nothing to be sorry for. I've said things I regret to. And I'm sorry for leaving you…but you know there's no way we can go back now. And we shouldn't. It's what's coming that we have to focus on."

She rested her forehead against his, smiling teasingly. "Why do you have to be so damn smart?"

He laughed and rubbed their noses together. "It's the 245 years of experience I guess."

Tears slipped from her eyes but she kept her grin. "Kiss me?"

He smoothed her hair with his hands and their lips brushed. Cool and sweet, they kissed, their tears mingling, the salt burning their mouths. Buffy gasped as they separated, holding him for one brief moment. "Goodbye," she said fiercely, attempting to be strong.

Enveloping her in his arms, he buried his face in her hair, and she felt the coldness of his flesh against her face, the strength of his body against hers. "Don't be a stranger," she murmured, and he smiled, dropping a kiss on top of her head.

"I won't. Bye, Buffy."

"Bye, Angel."

And he was gone. Not shadows…no long glances. He simply let her go and was…gone.

I didn't hear you leave
I wonder how am I still here
And I don't want to move a thing
It might change my memory
Oh I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide
I won't go, I won't sleep
I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me

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